It's not often that a young designer's brave enough to operate out of Nantucket, but in the case of Charlotte Hess, bravery is a thing of principle. The winner of 2011's Charleston Fashion Week produces innovative knitwear that (though it sounds trite) looks like nothing you've seen before. The Karen Walker and Free People alum is a world citizen, having lived in the US, France, New Zealand, and the UK to name a few—something that's definitely evident in her intricately knitted creations. Sepia paper bag waist trousers, slinky mustard dresses, and carpet-like shaggy toppers evoke well-known references like Little Women while remaining artistically unique at their core.

Thanks to her down-south triumph, her label Isabel & Cleo has experienced a whirlwind ascent these past few months, going from one-of-a-kind Etsy shop to edging towards mass-produced size runs. "This is the first time I've made a collection to be seen," the 28-year-old said of her South Carolina runway debut.

Now looking into the bright future Hess has realized, "I'm not making clothes for one particular person anymore, I'm making them for someone who's invisible." She's chosen to design a "12 piece menswear capsule collection, all based on a random vintage leather jacket," as her first post-win project, that's inspired by an overture in The Shawshank Redemption. "I really feel I could design an entire collection based on that whole song," she said.

Such detail certainly sets a designer apart from the pack, posing Hess for great success (and perhaps a move to the mainland?) in the imminent future.